Brake rigging



June 10, 1941. McGQWAN BRAKE RIGGING Original Filed May 25, 1958 INVENTOB.

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Patented June 10, 1941 BRAKE RIGGING Thomas R. McGowan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The American Brake Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Misscuri Original application May 25, 1938, Serial'No.

209,935. Divided and this application January 5, 1940, Serial No. 312,557

2 Claims. (c1. 188-46) My invention relates to brake rigging for railway vehicles, and particularly to brake rigging for locomotives wherein brake shoes are applied to both sides of each wheel.

One object of my invention is to provide a brake rigging of the type described having a minimum number of operating parts, and having these parts so located with respect to the adjacent parts of the vehicle as to permit the proper movement of the various parts of the rigging. without interference with or by the adjacent. parts of the vehicle.

Another object of my. invention is to provide a suitable form of brake rigging for applying clasp brakes to a trailer truck of. a locomotive.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 209,936, filed on May 25, 1938 for Brake rigging, now Patent No. 2,192,270, granted March 5, 1940.

I shall describe one form of brake rigging embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational View showing brake rigging embodying my invention applied to a four trailer truck. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the truck frame and brake rigging shown in Fig. 1, the usual hanger levers, brake heads and brake shoes being omitted to simplify and clarify the drawing.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in both views.

Referring to the drawing, the brake rigging here shown is applied to a four wheel trailer truck comprising spaced longitudinally extending side members 65 connected together by spaced transversely extending end members 66, only one side member being shown in the drawing. The truck frame is supported at its forward end by a wheel and axle assembly comprising a pair of wheels Bl mounted on an axle 68, and at its rear end by a Wheel and axle assembly comprising a pair of wheels 69 mounted on an axle 16. The means for supporting the truck frame by the wheel and axle assemblies is not shown because these means are well-known and form no part of my present invention.

The brake rigging comprises four separate sets.

is believed, therefore, that an understanding of the entire brake rigging will be had from a description of the mechanism which is associated with one only of the wheels.

Referring particularly to the 'mechanism associated with theone wheel 61, for example, this mechanism comprises two hanger levers H and 12 which are pivotally attached at their upper ends to the truck frame by means of pins 13,;and each of which is provided intermediate its ends with a brake head l2 carrying a'brake shoe l3 for braking engagement with the tread of the wheels 61. The lower end of each hanger lever is'provided with jaws M which form a recess 15. f

The mechanism associated with the wheel 67 also comprises two similar horizontal laterally extending levers l5 and 11 disposed at the forward and rear sides, respectively, of the wheel 61. The lever 16 is pivotally attached at its outer end to the side member by means of a pin H3, and is operatively connected intermediate its ends with the hanger lever 12 within the recess 15 by means of a pin 19 which passes through registering openings formed in the lever 18 and in the jaws 14 of the lever 12.

The inner end of the lever 16 is operatively connected through the medium of a slack adjuster 89 of the usual and well-known construction, and a pull rod 8| with the inner end of the lever ll. The lever TI is operatively connected intermediate its ends with the hanger lever H in the same manner that the lever 16 is operatively connected intermediate its ends with the hanger lever 72, and is operatively connected at its outer end through the medium of a double jaw 82 with the lower end of a vertically disposed brake cylinder lever 83.

The lever 83 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a pin 84 secured to the side member 65 of the truck, and is operatively connected at its upper end through the medium of a push rod 85 with the push rod 86 of a brake cylinder Cb. The brake cylinder Cb may be secured to the truck frame at any suitable location, but as here shown it is secured to the outer side of the side member 65 adjacent the upper end of the side member opposite the wheel 61. The brake cylinder is of the usual type, and. includes the usual cylinder portion, return spring (not shown), and push rod 86 operated by the piston.

When it is desired to apply the brakes, fluid pressure is supplied to all four brake cylinders simultaneously and the fluid supplied to the cylinder Cb forces the piston of this cylinder outwardly toward the left, and this outward movement acts through the push rods 86 and 85, brake cylinder lever 83, and double jaw 82 to move the outer Mme end of the lever Tl toward the right as viewed in Fig. 2. The movement of the lever 11 toward the right causes the hanger lever H to swing toward the wheel 61 to the position in which the associated brake shoe l3 moves into engagement with the wheel, whereupon the lever rotates in a counterclockwise direction about its point of connection with the hanger lever H in a manner to move the pull rod 8| toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The movement of the pull rod 8|, in turn, causes the lever 16 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 about the pin 18, and thus moves the hanger lever 12' toward the wheel 61 to the position in which the associated brake shoe [3 engages the wheel. The release of the brakes is efiected through the release springs located in the brake cylinder.

One advantage of brake rigging embodying my invention is that the brake mechanism is kept close to the frame and takes up a minimum amount of space.

Another advantage of this brake rigging is that it is of simple construction, is light in weight and requires a minimum number of different kinds of parts.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of brake rigging embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a brake rigging, the combination of a truck frame, a brake cylinder secured to said frame at the outer side of each wheel, a Vertical brake cylinder lever associated with each brake cylinder and pivotally attached intermediate its ends to said truck frame and operatively connected at its upper end with the piston of the associated cylinder, a plurality of horizontal transversely extending levers one disposed on one side of each wheel and each operatively connected at its outer end with the lower end of the associated brake cylinder lever, a plurality of other horizontal transversely extending levers one disposed on the other side of each wheel and each pivotally attached at its outer end to the truck frame, a rod connecting the inner ends of the two levers associated with each wheel, and a brake element secured to each lever intermediate its ends and cooperating with the associated wheel to provide clasp brakes for the wheels.

2. In a brake rigging, the combination of a truck frame, a wheel, a brake cylinder secured to said truck frame outside of the plane of said wheel a little above said wheel, a vertical lever pivotally attached intermediate its ends to said truck frame and operatively connected at its upper end with said brake cylinder, two transversely extending horizontal levers disposed on opposite sides of said'wheel, one of said levers being operatively connected at its outer end with the lower end of said brake cylinder lever and the other horizontal lever being fulcrumed at its outer end on said truck frame, a rod conmeeting said two horizontal levers at their inner ends, a pair of hanger levers disposed on opposite sides of said wheel and operatively connected with said horizontal levers intermediate their ends, and brakeelements secured to said hanger levers and cooperating with the associated wheel.

THOMAS R. MCGOWAN. 

